diff --git a/booru_viewer/core/api/category_fetcher.py b/booru_viewer/core/api/category_fetcher.py
index 48700a1..a2013eb 100644
--- a/booru_viewer/core/api/category_fetcher.py
+++ b/booru_viewer/core/api/category_fetcher.py
@@ -289,18 +289,20 @@ class CategoryFetcher:
     # ----- dispatch: ensure (single post) -----
 
     async def ensure_categories(self, post: "Post") -> None:
-        """Idempotent.  Guarantee ``post.tag_categories`` is populated.
+        """Guarantee ``post.tag_categories`` is fully populated.
 
         Dispatch:
-          1. Already populated → return.
-          2. Cache compose → return if complete.
-          3. Batch tag API (if available + probe passed) → return.
-          4. Per-post HTML scrape → return.
+          1. Cache compose with 100% coverage → return.
+          2. Batch tag API (if available + probe passed) → return.
+          3. Per-post HTML scrape → return.
+
+        Does NOT short-circuit on non-empty ``post.tag_categories``
+        because partial cache composes can leave the post at e.g.
+        5/40 coverage. Only the 100%-coverage return from
+        ``try_compose_from_cache`` is trusted as "done."
 
         Coalesces concurrent calls for the same ``post.id``.
         """
-        if post.tag_categories:
-            return
         if self.try_compose_from_cache(post):
             return
 
diff --git a/booru_viewer/gui/main_window.py b/booru_viewer/gui/main_window.py
index e2ce488..d15f278 100644
--- a/booru_viewer/gui/main_window.py
+++ b/booru_viewer/gui/main_window.py
@@ -161,13 +161,16 @@ class BooruApp(QMainWindow):
         return client.category_fetcher if client else None
 
     def _ensure_post_categories_async(self, post) -> None:
-        """Schedule an async ensure_categories if the post needs it.
+        """Schedule an async ensure_categories for the post.
 
-        No-op if the post already has categories, or if the active
-        client doesn't have a CategoryFetcher attached.
+        No-op if the active client doesn't have a CategoryFetcher
+        (Danbooru/e621 categorize inline, no fetcher needed).
+
+        Does NOT check post.tag_categories — partial cache composes
+        from the background prefetch can leave the post at e.g.
+        5/40 coverage. ensure_categories checks 100% cache coverage
+        internally and fetches the remainder if needed.
         """
-        if post.tag_categories:
-            return
         client = self._make_client()
         if client is None or client.category_fetcher is None:
             return